Known for her regular pandemic briefings, Sturgeon's prior high approval ratings starkly contrasted with those of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

A year past her unexpected resignation, she faces scrutiny over her government's performance across various domains and the handling of the SNP's financial investigation.

Key issues being examined include Sturgeon's leadership style, accused of power centralization and lack of collaboration.

Evidence suggested a failure to involve Scottish Cabinet members in COVID decision-making and highlighted a policy of deleting official messages, including those by Sturgeon, potentially contradicting her public assurances of cooperation with the inquiry.

Further inquiry into Sturgeon's competence questioned the Scottish government's pandemic preparedness and response timeliness. Comparable Covid death rates among UK nations despite different policy actions raise further questions.

Additionally, accusations suggest Sturgeon may have sought political advantage by diverging from the UK government's pandemic strategy, an allegation she firmly denies.

The inquiry continues to assess not only individual leadership decisions but also the broader implications on devolved powers and intergovernmental relationships during the pandemic.

As the investigation unfolds, how much influence constitutional matters had on the public health response remains to be determined, including whether centralized UK control could have been more effective than the devolved execution by Scotland.

Baroness Hallett's forthcoming recommendations amid these complex political dynamics are much anticipated.